Blame Shakespeare
by Riley Carbine
Summary: In which the villain wins. Rated T for safety.


A short drabble inspired by Grimmly Tangled by Fett012000. Warning there is NO happy ending here. An alternate ending for the movie. Word count: 683. I'm bad with punctuation and don't have a beta.

Disclaimer: I own nothing, only the twisted thought the brought this to life.

**Blame Shakespeare.**

"Rapunzel let down your hair!"

Flynn waited only a beat before clawing at the cobblestone tower, Rapunzel was in danger and he couldn't waste any time. He called her name again, this time her hair was lowered down. The magical golden locks igniting a fierce hope in him, he took hold of the hair and began climbing at a faster pace toward the window.

His feet slipped against the stones in his haste making the climb harder on him, but a gnawing anxiety in the pit of his stomach wouldn't allow him to slow down. He pulled himself inside once he reached the window, his breathing heavy.

"Blondie?" he searched the shadows for her, his eyes darting back and forth, he became more frantic every second he didn't hear her voice. "Rapunzel!" Still no reply, he took a step forward toward the lighted middle section of the room. A window higher up in the tower suddenly opened, making Flynn jump back toward the window, a new stream of light was cast down on the darkest corner of the room. Flynn wished it hadn't.

Blood, it was everywhere. Right beside a dresser was a giant puddle soaking the all too familiar purple dress. Flynn fought the urge to both break into tears and throw-up. He looked away from the floor, hopping on a one way boat down the river of denial, and regretted it. Sitting a top the dresser, was the only iceberg that could sink his boat, Rapunzel's head, her no longer green eyes half-lidded and her cheeks corpse grey.

"No." The word came out in a hushed whisper, his heart was lodged in his throat. Every beat echoing in his head, he didn't even hear the soft tip tap of foot steps behind him. Then there was the sharp pain, and the warm liquid drenching his side.

Flynn didn't need to look to know the liquid was blood (what else could it be? Maple syrup?), but he did look behind him meeting the pale, blood splashed face of who could only be Rapunzel's _Mother_. The word itself brought the acid taste of bile up his throat. He collapsed forward, his face landing in Rapunzel's blood still warm despite the cold stone beneath it.

"Oh, I do so hate mumbling." Mother Gothel cleaned her blade on her cloak as she spoke, sliding it into her coat once the blade was as silver as Rapunzel's hair was gold. Then the evil woman turned her gaze to the thief, a cruel smirk cutting her face open.

"This is all your fault you know." She stated matter-of-factly, before stepping on Flynn's back applying extra pressure on her heel, digging it into his flesh. He grit his teeth against he pain. She used him as a welcome mat, before continuing to use him as a bridge to get across the puddle of blood.

"Had you not taken her away, she'd still be alive, and you..." she paused "You'd be in same predicament, only at the gallows."

Gothel gathered things as she spoke, smiling when she found a nice silken bag large enough for her beloved daughter.

"You know I learned, as long as the hair is connected to the head, the magic remains." She stroked Rapunzel's hair fondly before stuffing her head into the silk bag. "Well we must be going, it's not safe for two young women such as ourselves to be traveling alone at night."

Gothel stepped on Flynn again, (he couldn't help the grunt that escaped his lips) on her way to the window. She took some of Rapunzel's hair out of the bag and looped it over the hook, she paused before exiting the tower, and turned to look at Flynn one last time.

"Good-bye Mr. Rider, sweet dreams."

Then she was gone, off to live her life eternally young. Sweet dreams… He never would have any again. They all died with her. He stretched his hand out to touch hers but it was just too far. Those were his final thoughts before… like the end of a play, everything faded to black.

R&R

I know, I'm horrible. I apologize for doing this, I depressed myself writing it, but the idea needed out. It really is very Shakespearean, and despite my attempt to avoid it I still ended up with a bunch of sap at the end. Which I guess is better than the morbid humor at the beginning.

Once again, forgive me.


End file.
